Utilizing a new type of CT scan can decrease the time to lifesaving surgery for patients with one of the deadliest forms of stroke, according to a prospective study presented Tuesday.
Emergent large vessel occlusion stroke occurs when a clot blocks significant blood flow to the brain, making quick surgery imperative to avoiding long-term disability or death.
And now, doctors believe bypassing conventional CT in favor of a cone-bean CT (CB-CT) scan available in surgical rooms can help shorten the time between stroke symptoms and intervention, Canadian researchers explained at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery’s 18th Annual Meeting.
“This new generation of CB-CT technology has tremendous potential to improve patient care by shortening the time between the first stroke symptom and thrombectomy,” said Nicole Cancelliere, MSc, a radiographer and research program manager at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “Being able to quickly assess patients is one of the most important factors in connecting patients to appropriate care and moving them closer to a full recovery.”
For their study, Cancelliere and co-authors followed 105 patients who underwent endovascular mechanical thrombectomy, comparing baseline brain CB-CT scans to traditional CT images.
The team conducted four studies to review the quality of three different brain scan techniques and another using a tool to reduce motion artifacts.
Overall, cone-beam CT produced better brain scans that can help physicians assess strokes prior to performing emergency thrombectomy.
“This is an important step toward a direct-to-angio approach for acute ischemic stroke thrombectomy,” study leader Mendes Pereira, MD, MSc, director of endovascular research and innovation at St. Michael’s added in a statement.
Read the full abstract here.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.